Welcome to Mr. Hamill's
History of the Americas Home Page!
(see below for homework assignments)

Check your email

Hotmail

 

Email me

***Click here to see your grades online (your Student ID is your password)

Click here for the Levels of thinking (HOTS)

Click here to go to the web site for The American People (practice quizzes, study guides, glossaries, and more!)

Click here for the course syllabus

Click here to make a "works cited" page online (OSLIS)

Click here for the S.I. Historia de las Américas page

Click here for the S.I. Historia Universal page

 

Homework due on Tuesday, November 10th:

Read the first section (pp. 430 -441) of chapter 14 in The American People, and review / take notes on the following study questions (also, be ready for a "friendly knowledge check" next class): 

1. What is the main point of the anecdotal story?

 2. Be able to identify ALL of the issues of conflict that led to the Compromise of 1850.

 3. Be able to explain the following: 

a Free Soil: 

b. Popular Sovereignty: 

c. Uncle Tom's Cabin: 

d. Compromise of 1850 (all four components): 

4. Review all of the main facts/ideas regarding the "Consequences of Compromise"

Homework due on Friday, November 6th:

Review for a quiz over the US/Mexican War (at the start of class).

Talk Back (response) Journal

Read the packet We Take Nothing by Conquest, by historian Howard Zinn.

Part A: Locate at least five (5) passages from the reading that you found important, amusing, startling, confusing, moving, outrageous, or odd.

Note: you can do more than five for extra credit.

Write out each quote from the text, and also write a detailed personal reaction to it.

Homework for Monday, November 2nd:: Continue reading in The American People (pp. 403-407.5)

1. To what extent did the idea of Manifest Destiny contribute to the war with Mexico?

2. On the back of this paper, make two columns and explain the different viewpoints in the US regarding the war with Mexico. Who supported it? Who was opposed? Why?

3. Imagine that you are a resident of Mexico in 1848. What do you think about the war? Is it justified? What do you think about the USA? Write at least one paragraph.

4. What was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? Was it a fair treaty? Explain why, including some specific details.

5. What were the main issues involving the “Oregon Question”? How were they resolved?

Homework for Thursday, Oct. 29th:

Read pages 396-403 (up to, but not including "War with Mexico") in your textbook The American People, and review/take notes on the following study questions:

1. Explain the concept of Manifest Destiny.

2. Analyze/explain all of the details and symbolism in the painting by John Gast.

3. Which policy did the Mexican government change in 1829?

4. Who was Santa Anna? What did he do?

5. What happened at the Alamo? What happened next?

6. Explain the different views in the US on the question of admitting Texas to the Union.

7. In which year did Texas finally become part of the United States of America?

1. How did the Brazilian independence movement differ from the independence movements in the rest of Latin America? (two reasons)

2. How did events in Europe help lead to the independence of Brazil? (give some specific examples)

3. Which day is celebrated as Brazilian independence day?

Who was Dom Pedro, and what did he say on that day?

4. Who did Napoleon Bonaparte put on the throne of Spain, thus weakening Spain's control of the colonies?

5. What happened on September 16th, 1810? Why is this such an important date?

6. In addition fighting for Mexico's independence, what were some other aspects of Father Hidalgo's "social revolution"? (what other changes did he hope to implement). Give some specific examples.

7. What happened to Father Hidalgo?

8. Who took the leadership role after Hidalgo, and what were some of his goals and accomplishments? (note: Haciendas are large, landed estates)

9. "...But Morelos, like Hidalgo, was surrounded and restrained by Creole lieutenants who wanted no revolutionary social change, whose sole desire was the oust the Peninsulars from power." (Keen, 157) In your own words, explain the broader meaning of this sentence, including details regarding the individuals and ethnic groups mentioned.

10. Who was Agustín Iturbide?

What did his plan for Mexico entail (see middle of first column on page 158)?

What happened to him?

11. Why do you think that most countries in Latin America fought for (and obtained) independence during the same time period?

12. In addition to political independence, what are some other social changes that resulted?

13. What did not change as a result of political independence? (which economic and social structures remained)

14. In places such as Mexico, one result of independence was that and was consolidated into the hands of the elite, and the Indians who had their lands taken away were forced into servitude on the haciendas. Speculate: what might happen in Mexico in the years to come?

15. Imagine: If you were president of the United States of America in 1823, what foreign policy statement would you issue to Europe regarding the newly independent nations of Latin America? Why?

Read pages 142 - 154 in the packet The Independence of Latin America (if you were absent, there are more copies on the shelf in the front of the room...if you are out sick and can not get the packet, you can do some reading about the main topics by clicking here ), and highlight/take notes on the following topics (you should be prepared to answer questions over the reading at the start of the next class). Click here to see the questions.

--Creoles versus Peninsular Spaniards

--The American Revolution and the French Revolution

--The context and causes of Revolution (events in Europe as well as in Latin America)

--The four main centers of Revolution

--Simón Bolivar (who? what? when? where? why? how?)

--José de San Martín (who? what? when? where? why? how?)

For Wednesday: Review and prepare for the little quiz on the Constitution!

This will include the context (historical background) as well as the structure and content of the U.S. Constitution. Be sure to consult your notes from the text book, the videos, and the work we have done in class.

"Your heart shall be filled with peace and good will and your mind filled with a yearning for the welfare of the people of the Confederacy. With endless patience you shall carry out your duty and your firmness shall be tempered with tenderness for your people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgement in your mind and all your words and actions shall be marked with calm deliberation. In all of your deliberations in the Confederate Council, in your efforts at law making, in all your official acts, self interest shall be cast into oblivion. Cast not over your shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way of the Great Law which is just and right. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground, the unborn of the future Nation."

Which part of this fragment of the __________________________Constitution seems most significant regarding government leaders (highlight or underline)? Explain why.

1. Read the Preamble to the US Constitution, then write a short response/commentary.
Which aspects of it are most significant in your opinion?

2. For Article I, write an original question and answer for five of the 10 sections
(5 questions and five answers total).
3. According to Article II, what are the requirements to be president?
4. What are five (5) specific powers of the president?
--

--

--

--

--

5. Name at least one (1) key responsibility of the Supreme Court.

6. How is the crime of treason against the United States defined? Where in the Constitution (which section) is this described?

7. How can an amendment be added to the Constitution? Where in the Constitution (which section) is this described?

8. Why do you think it necessary to have a "separation of powers"? Write a paragraph to explain your opinion.

Bonus Question: There are three references to slavery in the U.S. Constitution (not including the amendments). For each one, write down the passage that refers to slavery, and also include the Article and Section where it is written.

a) Article ______ Section _________:

b) Article ______ Section _________:

c) Article ______ Section _________:

History of the Americas: Homework for Thursday

Read pages 202-217 in The American People and take notes on the following (you can skim over parts of the text, just focus on the main facts and important details for these categories):

--Slavery

--Shay's Rebellion

--Constitutional Convention

--Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

--Ratification

History of the Americas: Homework for Tuesday (15 points)

Read carefully the entire text of The Declaration of Independence (in the back of your text book, or you can read it online)

a) In your own words, paraphrase the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence (write them out in modern English, without using slang).

b) Which of the complaints against King George are the most legitimate/important concerns in your opinion? a) List the ten (10) most important complaints, and b) explain WHY for each one. For example:

1. a) what is the specific concern/complaint?

b) why is it a legitimate/valid concern in your opinion?

Read the last two articles in the packet: Prologue, and African Americana Mourn...

For each one, identify the thesis in your own words, and then list the supporting evidence that the author provides.

Homework #6 : Homework for Friday, October 2:

Read the Aztec Account of the Conquest and highlight/underline the key ideas related to the Purpose and Limitations of the document as a historical source. Be ready to discuss in class and answer questions.

Homework #5: due on Wednesday, Sept. 30th

Read in the textbook pages 21-25, and also in the packet pages 55 - 67.

Identify a total of 10 - 15 significant people, places, events (at least five different ones from each source)

For each one, you will need to:

A) describe (who? what? give details)

B) explain the significance (what happened? why is it important?)

C) include a reference to the source and the page number

Homework #4: due on Monday, Sept. 28th

Part 1: In your packet, read Timeline: Spain, Columbus, and the Taínos.

--Select 10 of the events that you think are most significant.

--Make a visual representation to illustrate these events (be sure to include the dates)

--Format is up to you (collage, clip art, drawings, etc.)

--Grade is based on content, quality, effort, and creativity.

--Illustrate at least 10 events. You can do more for extra credit.

Part 2: Read The First Few Days: Journal of Christopher Columbus, then answer the three questions on page 96.

Homework #2: Read pages 3 - 14 in The American People, and review the following study questions. Be ready to discuss, and also for a possible quiz to begin the next class.

1. What is the main point of the anecdotal story at the beginning of the chapter?

2. Who were some of the major indigenous groups living in the Americas before the Europeans arrived?

3. How did the "world views" of the natives and the Europeans differ? Why was that important?

4. Which were some of the main kingdoms of Africa? What were some characteristics of their cultures/civilizations?

5. Describe some of the values and beliefs of the peoples of Africa prior to the arrival of the Europeans.

Homework #1: Historiography worksheet